A brilliant film that peels the hidden and grotesque truth of how our 'dominant' culture attempted genocide on Aboriginal Canadians - and failed.  Two survivor stories are told with grace and clarity.  A must watch.

http://blog.nfb.ca/blog/2012/10/02/we-were-children/

TSI2013%20Flier%3Abooklet.pdf

John O'Brien posted in The Art of Social Change

    

John O'Brien     1:56pm Dec 15

Not quite the current practice of Citizen Advocacy, but a story of real and lasting relationship.

http://www.cbc.ca/thesundayedition/shows/2012/12/16/patti-morris-essay-befriending-sherri-hr-3/

    Patti Morris Essay: Befriending Sherri (Hr. 3) | The Sunday…

An excellent short piece by some Ontario advocates pointing out the layers of struggle for families to just get along and have a life..  More work to do...

Direct%20Funding%20News%20Dec2012.docx

http://www.rebeccabeayni.com

Nov. 12-14 - in Toronto - PATH & MAPS - Person Centered Ways to Build Community

Three days of extraordinary shared learning - in downtown Toronto - with Lynda Kahn & Jack Pearpoint

Teams welcome - and because we believe in inclusion and diversity - no reasonable offer will be refused.

Call or e-mail - us - or cathy@inclusion.com for information.

The url for the flier is attached.…

Skeptics Be Gone

By Reprinted from "The Citizen Advocate," JanuarSkeptics%20Be%20Gone.docy/February 1998

There are many different stories that come from this idea and work we call citizen…

This is a Submission by Gary Bunch (Marsha Forest Centre) to the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) Town Hall Meeting on Inclusive Education, Oct, 2, 2012

I speak from both a professional and a person perspective about education and students with varying abilities. As a professional, I have worked with students with varying abilities for over 50 years, first in segregated schools and then in developing inclusive education. I have…

Things were so simple before. If a student was struggling in your classroom…there obviously was something wrong with them. Not your teaching methods (or curriculum for that matter). Things are not so simple anymore…nor were they ever…really.

The prevailing attitude of “my way or the highway” in education is dying…albeit a slow death. There are those who cling to it because that is what they know. So…I can’t really fault them for it. As with any “practice,” one that involves a…

Emily Titon is a a remarkable talented and relentless advocate for Justice.  The link below takes you to a posting with Huffington Post - and a video interview including Emily, ,Greg Miller and Fredda Brown -

Be sure to check the links below - particularly the GRAPHIC VIDEO:  tape of Teen being Shocked.. hard to watch but impossible to refute. 

then sign the petition.…

Gary Bunch has written a short and powerful 'op ed' type of article on bullying.  It's worth a read.  Please use it.

It's attached.

Bunch.Bullying.doc

THE MOST BULLIED OF ALL

As the start of school approaches, some students look forward to it even less than does…

When it comes to inclusion…people fall in one of three camps. Either they are totally against it, staunchly for it, or on the fence. It’s the people on the fence that you want to focus your time on.

-Gail Wilkins (friend and mentor)

“Fencers”

I love to talk to “fencers” (yeah…I just made that up).  The best way to help someone see something from your perspective is to see something from their perspective (even if you disagree with the…

There HAS to be better way…

One of my favorite stories to tell is about my very first day on the job.  After hours and hours of meticulously getting my classroom ready… every desk, name tag, bulletin board and work station in their right place, the morning finally came. It was going to be magical. I was fresh out of my teacher training for a credential in moderate/severe disabilities and had read all of the autism books, familiarized myself with…

My beloved father passed on in June. An article about his life was recently written in a Toronto newspaper. Through it, my dad continues to teach people what community is all about.
Check it out at
http://www.zuza.com/news-story/1308133-remembering-neighbourhood-connector-harry-emerson-wolfraim/

If you are interested in creating positive possible futures, you might want to listen in to two videos that were created at the Toronto Summer Institute 2012 - one entitled "Vogt - 51 People", and a second entitled Star Fire Stories.  Both are on this site - and available on youtube.

Vogt - 51 People  …

Dear friends

I am forwarding below a message from my beloved friend Daphne Schenk and her son Taiga.  Daphne is an incredible writer and speaker who is wanting her voice and Taiga's voice to be heard.  Please take a look at the link and respond as you see appropriate.

Many blessings

Susan

Since my son Taiga was born I have been…

This is a remarkable radio documentary - frightening, tragic, powerful - and a must listen.  One of many reasons to listen is to be reminded that our 'best intentions' often have devastating and even deadly consequences (2000 unmarked dead at Huronia alone) and at the systems level, we 'knew' and sanctioned this 'behaviour' for nearly 150 years!

Equally important, is the fact that a few brave souls have courageously decided to take a stand.  Jim and Marilyn Dolmage, Patricia,…

The film, "Revel in the Light. the story of Rebecca Beayni" was such a success with over 800 copies sold world wide that a 2nd video called "Dance in the Shadow", sharing Rebecca's message even further is in the production phase.  We are offering the opportunity for people and organizations to pre-order a copy and/or to donate to the cost of producing the film to assist Rebecca's message to  continue to change our communities for the better.  We know that many groups have used  Revel in the…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fTBM_3sdwE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Well worth your 3 minutes!!!  enjoy.